When a vehicle is leased, it is reviewed on ownership transfer both at the beginning and end of the lease. Typically during reviews, however, the vehicle is only visually inspected. This visual inspection may examine the vehicle for scratches, tire tread, windshield cracks, etc. If the vehicle is approved of during a review, ownership of the car is transferred. Vehicle reviews, however, are extremely subjective. The individual conducting the visual inspection has significant leeway as to approval of a vehicle. Only if the individual conducting the review believes and notes that certain vehicle items require repair prior to ownership transfer will those parts actually be repaired. This subjectivity during vehicle review can therefore lead to inaccurate or falsely-blamed reviews.
In addition, nothing is recorded between inspection regarding the state of the engine, motor, battery system, suspension, vehicle structure, etc. These items therefore remain unknown during the review. Thus, the individual performing the review and the manufacturer are not aware of the state of abuse the vehicle has endured. The abuse that the car has sustained is not necessarily transparent to the inspector who visually approves the vehicle at the beginning and end of the lease.
Involving a third party to conduct more thorough vehicle reviews may be time consuming, inefficient, and stressful to the owner and lessee. The owner typically already knows the status of the vehicle. In addition, the data of vehicle criteria is already available. Modern vehicles have advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) that contain upwards of 10 sensors. Thus, there is an unrealized potential to utilize the over 10 sensors on the vehicle to collect detailed information regarding the vehicle's status and key events. It would therefore be useful to offer a system and method of observing key vehicle events using these sensors and storing such vehicle information in a database to allow for a more thorough review of the vehicle prior to and after leasing or purchase.